AMELIA'S LESSON…on July 2, 1937 at age 39 during an attempt to fly around the world Amelia Earhart disappeared over the Pacific Ocean near Howland Island. The rest is history… the wreckage to her single seat Lockheed 10 has never been found. Ms. Earhart was "flying solo". She was an accomplished aviator attempting a very difficult feat… to fly around the world all by herself. Unfortunately she didn't make it. She left an amazing legacy… numerous aviation records, a staunch supporter of equal rights for women, a faculty member at Purdue University, etc. There is also a lesson to be learned from Amelia Earhart that is often overlooked… don't "fly solo". Don't try and do it on your own.
Many Salespeople "try and do it on their own". Their egos get in the way and they resist any form of outside help. Years ago a rather unsuccessful Salesperson told me he didn't believe in "all this new mentoring stuff". He said, "If after all these years at age 62, if I can't do it on my own by now there's something wrong!". In retrospect he was right… there was something wrong. His attitude to growth and learning! Sadly, he was not successful and never turned his business around. Let's look at how you're approaching the same issues…are you "flying solo"? Are you trying to do it all on your own?
Here is your ACTION STEP…fortunately there is no need to suffer the same fate as Amelia Earhart or for that matter, the unsuccessful Salesman. In the Sales Business there are no awards for "doing it on your own". Rather, there are a multitude of sources of outside help available to you:
GETTING SUPPORT
1. Mentors… follow the model set by someone you respect. Study their methods and ask lots of questions. Successful people generally love to help those who seek their input.
2. Accountability Partner… get someone to "hold your feet to the fire" on an ongoing basis. Someone who cares about your success. Someone who is strong enough to not let you buy into your own excuses.
3. A Coach... consider hiring someone who is in the business of helping others succeed in Sales. Make sure of 2 things…#1. Have they already done what you want to accomplish? & #2. Can they customize the Coaching to your style and skills?
4. Mastermind Groups… join or start a group of like-minded individuals with similar goals. Masterminding is often overlooked because "it's too much trouble to get it started". If you want it bad enough, you will make it happen. Start with two or three other Salespeople, meet for one hour every two weeks, and build from there. Incredibly powerful!
Sales can be a very lonely business… you really are on your own most of the time. Look for ways to avoid "flying solo". Don't let your ego get in the way. Take advantage of the knowledge of others so that you can make your "flight safely to your desired destination". Safe landings are guaranteed. NO Excuses.